Officer’s Serge Tunic – Major John W. E. Wright D.S.O.
Major Wright received his commission in the regiment in 1935, and volunteered for overseas service in early September 1939. On 10 July, 1943, Wright was present for the landings at Pachino, Sicily and later, as Captain and Company Commander, on the Italian mainland. Wright was transferred to the North Nova Scotia Highlanders in August 1944, where he later earned his Distinguished Service Order for leadership and battlefield bravery.
Major Wright would have worn this tunic during official duties in the closing years of the war for: staff work, planning, leading parades, or when meeting higher command. It communicated his status and decorum while remaining practical for office or light field settings. It wasn’t battlefield attire; expect at headquarters, inspection of the lines, or when he needed to present himself professionally in front of peers and superiors.
The tunic is displayed with a Sam Browne belt, shirt, regimental tie, sporran, and kilt.
The ribbons worn are: Distinguished Service Order, 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (with clasp).
Above his right cuff are long service chevrons.
Private, 92nd Battalion Service Dress (Marching Order, 1916)
This was standard service attire for a private in the 92nd Battalion (48th Highlanders), Canadian Expeditionary Force, during World War I. As “Marching Order,” it was designed for routine movement and daily duties—not for combat, but for getting around during training, transport, and deployments.
You’d see this uniform in use during the battalion’s staging and transit periods—boarding trains, ships, or conducting drills behind the front lines. It strikes a balance between functionality and regimental identity: likely a tunic made of Canadian service dress materials, with standard forage cap or glengarry, and basic web gear. This is the uniform worn when men were expected to move en-masse—marching to billets, assembling for orders, or performing administrative duties in theater. It was practical, durable, and recognizable, giving the battalion a uniform appearance without requiring full combat gear like greatcoats, steel helmets, or heavy packs.
